title: Role of metallothionein in lung inflammation induced by ozone exposure in mice.
abstract: Metallothionein (MT) is a free radical scavenger induced by inflammatory stimuli; however, its roles in inflammation have not been fully investigated. In the present study, we genetically determined the role of MT in ozone (O(3))-induced lung inflammation using MT-I/II null (-/-) mice. Subacute (65 h) exposure to O(3) (0.3 ppm) induced lung inflammation and enhanced vascular permeability, which was significantly greater in MT(-/-) than in corresponding wild-type mice. Electron microscopically, O(3) exposure induced vacuolar degeneration of pulmonary endothelial and epithelial cells, and interstitial edema with focal loss of the basement membrane, which was more prominent in MT(-/-) than in wild-type mice. O(3) -induced lung expression of interleukin-6 was significantly greater in MT(-/-) than in wild-type mice; however, lung expression of the chemokines examined was comparable in both genotypes of mice in the presence of O(3). Following O(3) exposure, the formation of oxidative stress-related molecules/adducts, such as heme oxidase-1, inducible nitric oxide synthase, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, and nitrotyrosine, in the lung was significantly greater in MT(-/-) than in wild-type mice. Collectively, MT protects against O(3)-induced lung inflammation, at least partly, via the regulation of pulmonary endothelial and epithelial integrity and its antioxidative property.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health Sciences Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan. inoue.kenichirou@nies.go.jp
authors.forename: Ken-ichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Hirohisa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.forename: Theerayuth
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaewamatawong
authors.forename: Akinori
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Rie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yanagisawa
authors.forename: Sadatomo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tasaka
authors.forename: Akitoshi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishizaka
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Satoh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; D018925:Chemokines / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D010083:Oxidants, Photochemical / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D010126:Ozone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C491054:Mt2 protein, mouse; D010083:Oxidants, Photochemical; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C525355:metallothionein-1, mouse; D010126:Ozone; D008668:Metallothionein; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1